CHRISTMAS Day was only four minutes old when Newton Abbot firefighters were called to a fire in the laundry room at a retirement nursing home in Ashburton Road.

Two appliances were sent to the scene where a tumble dryer had caught alight.

Fire station watch manager Phil Scammells said that luckily the laundry room was in a separate building at the rear of the property.

‘There was no risk to any of the residents,’ he emphasised, adding: ‘When we arrived the tumble dryer was well alight and it was quite an intense fire.’

Two firefighters used breathing apparatus to tackle the blaze with a hose. Because of the extent of the damage the crews removed some areas of boarding and fascias and used a thermal imaging camera to check that the fire was fully extinguished.

While the cause of the fire was unknown, Mr Scammells said there had been a number of similar fires involving tumble dryers.

‘They do run very hot and it is essential to clean the filters properly. Any excess fluff should be removed regularly, and do not over fill or leave the appliance on for too long. Definitely do not put the dryer on while you are sleeping or out of the house,’ he said.

The firefighters were at the scene for more than two hours, their only call on Christmas Day.